Building Strong Donor Relations Systems

In recent years, phrases like “culture of philanthropy” and “donor-centricity” have hit the field by storm, often with budget-breaking strategies for implementation and little information about where to start when one may not be a decision-maker. Students, fundraising professionals, and the Grand Rapids community joined me for a discussion about the importance of donor relations when it comes to long-term fundraising success and ethical fundraising practices. I also talked about the role of fundraising in the context of arts and cultural organizations.

Those who joined me at this free event offered by the Johnson Center for Philanthropy walked away with easy to understand ideas for their own organizations or volunteer roles. We discussed:

Donor relations and fundraising from a historical perspective

How to integrate engaging donor relations practices into your fundraising program

Fund development challenges specific to membership-based organizations, arts and cultural organizations, and organizations that frequently request general operating funds